Birthday Girls

We usually have separate birthday celebrations for each kid, but with our vacation timing this year and school starting earlier, we asked the girls if they would mind having a joint birthday celebration (since their birthdays are only ten days apart). Molly, of course, was all for it (I think the translation of her response would be something along the lines of, "You had me at cake ...") and Big Sister didn't mind sharing the limelight with her little sis. So, right after we got back from our trip up north, it was time to start the party prep!

Although they had to share a party, each girl did get their very own birthday cake. Big Sister requested my chocolate coffee cheesecake and the extent of Molly's request was, "Cake! CHOCOLATE cake!" Since Molly's very favorite book right now is Goodnight, Gorilla, I decided to use that as a cake theme. She's also in love with the Wiggles, but I couldn't quite bring myself to make her a Wiggles birthday cake. I had to start the cake creation a couple of days before the party, especially since Big Brother, Big Sister, Grandma, and I had plans to see Daisy May (better known as Aunt May around our house) and Seth Bernard perform at a local venue. Dad offered to stay home and babysit, so I took the big kids out on the town – we walked through the campus of my alma mater, saw some of the local sites, and stopped at my favorite ice cream joint (of course, the weather was awful, so we ended up tromping around in the rain). The concert was great and we all enjoyed ourselves, although the cakes were waiting for me when I got home. ;)

We managed to get the house in order, the cakes finished, and everything ready to go before the party started. It was just a family party with the grandparents, aunts, and great aunts, but everyone had a good time. We got pizza and salad from our favorite pizza place, which made both girls happy. Molly and Max insisted that a party just wasn't a party without "party hats" – I had actually gotten some but forgotten to get them out, so it was a good thing that they remembered!

After dinner, it was time for presents. Molly had already opened her presents from Dad and Mama on her actual birthday and Big Sister's birthday present was a bedroom renovation (complete with a girly shopping expedition), but there were still plenty of gifts that needed opening. Molly was much more interested in opening presents than she was on her actual birthday, and, once again, Max was more than willing to lend a helping hand. Molly was especially thrilled with the tutu and flower headband from Grandma and Grandpa – she immediately insisted that we help her put them on and then danced around declaring she was "like a ballerina" (Angelina Ballerina has been another favorite book lately).

Max actually didn't seem to be too jealous that he didn't have a pile of his own presents to open, although he was thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa brought him his very own present – a new Elmo backpack (Molly got her very own backpack as well). Big Sister enjoyed her gifts and was a good sport about all the present opening "help" that she had.

The kids helped clean up the present opening mess and it was time to break out the cakes. Both Max and Molly loved the Goodnight, Gorilla cake and they both knew exactly what it was (Molly started saying, "Good night, good night, good night!" as soon as she saw the decorations on the sides). Molly was really excited to blow out her candles, although she did need a little help from Dad (especially when she got distracted and managed to snag a finger full of frosting). After the candles were out, we all sang "Happy Birthday" to her, while she sat there looking quite pleased to be the center of attention.

Big Sister managed her candles all by herself and after we finished singing to her, we started passing out the cake. Max and Molly devoured their chocolate cake and were slightly disappointed when their requests for "more cake!" were denied. After all the sugar was consumed, the presents played with, and the mess under control, it was time for bath and bed and some R&R for Dad and Mama. Whew, we survived another round (or two) of birthdays!